Looking Ahead
by Fingersnaps
Summary: This concludes the trilogy of one-shots about Tim's first meeting with the team; this time Gibbs is the one doing the thinking. (The other parts of the trilogy are 'Starting Out' and 'Moving On')


4

**Looking Ahead**

Tom Morrow knew this wasn't going to be easy. "There's no hurry Gibbs; I do want you to think about this seriously though, I'm not sure three person teams will work for the agency so this is going to happen, but I'm prepared to let you make your own decision regarding personnel."

"How long do I have?"

"Within reason, as long as you need, but don't think I'll forget about it, I'll give you six months, and if you don't at least have a few names for me by then, I might just have to choose for you."

"That won't happen Director, I'll find someone we can all work with." Gibbs didn't slam the door, but he was tempted. The team, his team was working well and he didn't see why they needed another person; he took a few steps and a few deep breaths and realised that wasn't true. The world was moving on, cases were getting more complex, he couldn't expect Kate and Tony to turn their work into their lives just because he'd done it. His life, his personal life felt like it had ended the day he lost Shannon and Kelly; Mike Franks and NIS had given him a lifeline and he'd been clinging on to it ever since. It worked for him, didn't mean he had the right to deny the members of his team a life outside NCIS. Another team member would mean a lighter workload and that had to be good for all of them, but he wasn't about to have just anyone, if he was going to recruit another member to the team, he wanted it to be the right person.

He decided to head out for coffee and give himself some time to think about what he was looking for in a new team member; the last few weeks he'd had the opportunity to work with several agents outside his own team, would any of them fit the bill?

Stan Burley he knew well, knew he could do the job, heck he'd done it. No, Stan had moved on and that was as it should be; he'd learned well and had found his niche as an Agent Afloat, it wasn't a job that suited everyone but for Stan life on board ship seemed like a perfect fit. Having him on the team would be a step back for Stan as well as the team, and Gibbs wanted to move forward.

He sure as heck didn't need an agent like Richard Owens; if he'd carried out a thorough investigation Lieutenant Schilz's widow would have received her full entitlements from the Navy, and Toner and Martinez wouldn't have had years to enjoy the fruits of their crime. No, Owens could stay in Pearl and try to become a better agent, Gibbs wasn't interested in having someone he'd always feel was soiled goods, better to train someone from scratch than to be forever second-guessing whether an agent was doing his job correctly.

Paula Cassidy was better, in fact she was a fine agent, could be a great one, but…there's always a but. The alarm bells had started ringing the minute he saw the way Tony looked at her, and they got louder the longer they were in Cuba. On their return Gibbs had checked her file, it read pretty well, she was hot-headed at times, which Gibbs didn't have a problem with, but it looked as if she also let herself get too involved with co-workers, and Gibbs did not need that kind of complication. After a slightly bumpy start Kate and Tony were working well together, and whoever he finally brought into the team had to fit into the team dynamic, not blow it apart. Cassidy was out; she'd do a good job for the agency of that he was sure, but for him there would always be doubts, and when he wanted someone to have his six, doubts were something he simply couldn't afford.

Then there was Timothy McGee…young and green as grass; smart too, real smart, and with the kind of skill any good investigator was going to need as more and more information became available online and more and more criminals sought to hide their activities behind computer code.

Gibbs knew that contrary to popular belief it was possible to teach an old dog new tricks, but most computer tricks he simply didn't want to learn and he was pretty sure his other team members felt the same way. Tony and Kate had other skills, things that came with their personalities, family backgrounds and their earlier career choices. McGee was different, a navy cop who came from a navy family, a young man with multiple degrees who'd finished top of his class at FLETC.

He had potential, no doubt about that, question was, did he have the dedication to turn potential into the skills that could make him a field agent worthy of a place on the Major Case Response Team at NCIS headquarters. Time would tell, and Director Morrow had given him some time, Gibbs was prepared to watch and wait a while longer and if the opportunity arose he'd get McGee TAD'd to the team, give himself the chance to watch him work at close quarters.

Gibbs hadn't been able to see too much of him, he'd spent much of the case with Kate on the _Philadelphia_, but there was a moment, when they stood nose to nose on the quay at Norfolk that Gibbs had seen a hint of what lay beneath McGee's seemingly soft exterior. Would he fit in with Kate and Tony, with the peculiar dynamics already existing within the team? Things could get very interesting, and a new young agent would be good for Tony, give him the opportunity to be a mentor, have a probie of his own to show the ropes, guide along the road to becoming a successful investigator. Gibbs didn't kid himself that there wouldn't be hazing along the way, it hadn't escaped his attention that Tony had made Tim stand guard over the crime scene in Norfolk when it wasn't absolutely necessary. It hadn't harmed McGee and within reason pranks like that often helped a team to bond closer.

He's be worth watching, would Timothy McGee; anyone who could render the loquacious DiNozzo silent had to have something about them. McGee had managed just such a feat earlier today as he'd stepped into the very elevator from which Gibbs was now alighting. Gibbs made his way back to his desk and wasn't surprised to see Kate and Tony deep in conversation, he was pretty sure he could guess who they were talking about.

"He must have something Tony, I know a few agents here have asked Abby out and she's turned them down flat."

"You saw what I saw Katy."

"But you worked with him when I was on the _Philadelphia_, what's he like?"

"Like most newbies, keen, green; didn't see him as Abby's type though, he seems…well, let's just say I can't see him enjoying the same things Abby does."

"He might surprise you." Kate had already spoken to Abby and knew she and McGee were meeting up again at the weekend; she glanced up to see Gibbs approaching.

"How about you two surprise me by getting some work done."

"We're pretty much done Boss, reports up to date and filed. You think we'll work with McGee again?"

"Most likely, Norfolk's a big base, law of averages says we'll have another case there."

Tony nodded. "He did some good work, getting into Fox's computer so fast; I couldn't have done that, takes a real geek I guess."

"You think that's all he is Tony?"

Tony took a moment to consider. "No…he has a lot to learn, course he does…there's something in the way he watches…it's intense, like he soaks up everything you tell him…he takes it all on board. He could be a good one Boss, not as special as Anthony DiNozzo naturally, but it'll be interesting to see where he goes in the agency."

"That it will Tony; that it will."

THE END


End file.
